‘Try before you buy’

Published on Thu 19 July, 2012

Northern Ballet offer audiences the opportunity to ‘try before you buy’

Northern Ballet is offering audiences the opportunity to go behind the scenes of one of the UK’s best loved ballet companies through a series of ‘try before you buy’ rehearsal room events at its headquarters on Quarry Hill in Leeds. The perfect treat for ballet lovers or an introduction to ballet for ballet virgins, the rehearsal events offer the chance to enjoy a sneak preview of Northern Ballet’s latest production Ondine.

The rehearsals take place twice daily on 9, 23 and 30 August from 1.10pm – 1.50pm and 5.40pm – 6.30pm. Tickets are £5 which includes a packed lunch at the lunchtime events and an alcoholic or soft drink at the evening events and the chance to stay behind afterwards and meet the dancers. The ticket price is fully redeemable against the cost of a ticket to see Ondine at the West Yorkshire Playhouse from 8 – 15 September 2012. Tickets for the rehearsal events can be purchased by calling the Northern Ballet Box Office on 0113 220 8008 or booked online at northernballet.com/ondine.

Mark Skipper, Northern Ballet Chief Executive said, ‘We are delighted to offer audiences the opportunity to go behind the scenes at Northern Ballet and experience the rehearsal process. This is a great opportunity for people to sample Ondine, our latest production, and see for themselves the transformation that takes place during a ballet’s journey from the rehearsal room to the stage. We are proud of our reputation for producing ballets that reach diverse audiences and we are committed to opening up opportunities for as many people as possible to experience our work.’

Ondine tells the story of a doomed romance between a beautiful water nymph and a handsome nobleman. Despite being raised by humans, Ondine retains the mysticism of her kind but when she falls deeply in love with a mortal, Brand, she is transformed from a sprite to a woman, opening her heart to the joy and pain of human emotion. In time Brand falls out of love with Ondine, however he knows that should he break the bond between mortal and water sprite, nature decrees that a watery grave will seek him out.